SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday formally marked the reopening of government offices in Jammu under the Darbar Move arrangement for the winter session of 2026–27, receiving a Guard of Honour from a Jammu and Kashmir Police contingent at the Civil Secretariat.
More than 100 government offices have resumed functioning in Jammu following the seasonal relocation of the administration from Srinagar to the winter capital.
The Chief Minister is expected to hold meetings with members of the Council of Ministers and administrative secretaries to review departmental functioning and assess administrative arrangements after the shift.
Under the relocation plan, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and 40 other offices have moved to Jammu in full, while 50 designated offices have shifted in camp. The latter will operate with 33 per cent of their sanctioned staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is lower, unless specified otherwise.
Security arrangements have also been strengthened around the Civil Secretariat and adjoining areas to facilitate the resumption of administrative activities.
The Darbar Move is a nearly 150-year-old administrative practice under which the government headquarters shift between Srinagar and Jammu according to the seasons. Government offices function from Srinagar during the summer months, from May to October, before relocating to Jammu for the winter period.
The practice was discontinued in 2021 by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration following the introduction of the e-office system. It was subsequently restored by the elected government in November 2025.
The resumption of the arrangement for the 2026–27 winter period marks the continuation of the seasonal administrative shift between the two capital cities.
